REHOBOTH BEACH – Women’s FEST returns to Rehoboth Beach April 10-13, providing entertainment to show people visiting from up and down the East Coast that the city is more than a beach town.

The event, hosted by gay and lesbian community service organization CAMP Rehoboth, includes more than 40 events such as workshops, live music and comedy, a craft fair, discounts at local businesses and more.

“We really want to let the women of the East Coast basically know that Rehoboth is a great place to visit and to live,” volunteer and event co-chairwoman Donna Whiteside said.

“This is truly an expo of our town, not just CAMP Rehoboth.”

FEST passes, which would allow entry into the event’s workshops, including “Smart Phone Photography,” “Eco Gardening/Gardening for Wildlife” and “Wine Tasting and Chocolate Pairing,” are sold out. However, Whiteside said the majority of the event’s anticipated 5,000 attendees come for the fest’s free events.

Whiteside said attendance has grown each year, and organizers try to provide a diverse array of events to make each event unique. New this year, the fest will include more outdoor events, such as the FEST Olympic Games scheduled for Sunday afternoon to include an egg toss, two-legged race, softball throw and other activities.

“We decided to chance fate and hope that April doesn’t behave the way March did,” she said.

This year’s fest also has an added focus on community involvement. While the event will still be based in the convention center, many events and promotions encourage visitors to venture out into the community.

“We really don’t want to just hold them in the (convention) center and not let them go out and see the very thing we’re here to promote,” she said.

If interested, attendees will also have the chance to garden for a community in need by participating in CAMP Rehoboth’s Volunteer’s on Vacation program. The camaraderie gained by volunteering for CAMP Rehoboth is why Whiteside started donating her time about five years ago.

“If you’re new to Rehoboth, gay or straight, doesn’t matter, if you show up here you’re going to have a huge group of wonderful friends,” she said.